High Plains Drifter

Wow! Yesterday was super busy, it comes and goes that way around here, but that’s cool.  I prefer busy to being bored.  Anyway I still had time to squeeze in a movie before I left for the gym.  The choice of the day was an American classic, a western with a supernatural twist, yes folks the selected masterpiece was Blazing Saddles (NO!) It was High Plains Drifter (and the crowd goes wild!!!).  Man, this is an awesome flick; I remember seeing it for the first time with my big sister.  I was probably 9 or 10 years old and it was awesome back then (even the TV version).

For the “un-baptized” it is a story about a small western mining town that hires a “Stranger” (Clint Eastwood) to protect them from 3 bad guys soon to be released from prison.  The movie starts with a blurry figure appearing out of seemingly nowhere, the shot is distorted from the heat rising off the desert floor.  Soon we realize it is a man on a horse riding into town (Lago) and all the town’s inhabitants skeptically watching as he proceeds to the local Saloon.  The Stranger orders a beer and a bottle as all the saloon patrons stand at the far end of the bar staring.  The 3 local tough-guys start talking scat to the stranger who tells them “I’m faster then you’ll ever live to be” and he proceeds across the street to the barber shop.  A long story short, they follow and catch a case of hot-lead fever, “bada-bing”, no more tough-guys (Sorry Tony S).  I love when a movie starts with some straight butt-kicking ala the protagonist, excellent work my-man, excellent.  The movie gets better and better from there, an excellent choice for anyone who loves a thriller/western/action.

High Plains Drifter was directed as well as stared Clint Eastwood, released 22 August, 1973 by Universal, this movie stands the test of time.  Like many Eastwood films, he has a knack for choosing great stories and brings them to the screen and captures your attention.  Even the critics loved this film; Rotten Tomatoes scored the film at 96%, much respect to Mr. Eastwood.  High Plains Drifter was Clint’s second directorial outing, “Play Misty for Me” being the first.  Nominated for 11 Academy Awards, Clint Eastwood has taken home 5 trophies.  (Best Director, nominated 4 times/2 wins, Best Actor, nominated 2 times, Best Picture, nominated 4 times, 2 wins-along with the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award).  Clint Eastwood’s career started in 1955 and is so long it is unbelievable, my finger was tired from rolling the scroll button on my mouse.  Dude even has a Discography (WTF) is he the baddest dude in Hollywood or what?!    

 Finally folks, High Plains Drifter (theatrical version) is 105 minutes of action and intrigue, written by Ernest Tidyman (Shaft/The French Connection/Lady Sings the Blues) and the un-credited Dean Riesner (Rawhide [TV]/The Outer Limits [TV]).  The film grossed $15.7 Million (US), I don’t know what that would translate to in today’s box-office, but it is way too low for a film of this quality.  Who can argue with Clint Eastwood?  If you do he would either shoot you with a 44 magnum (the most powerful hand-gun in the world) or punch you in the face (ala Philo Beddoe)… {Insert Tarzan yell} L8tr